Reed controller for saxophones or the like



Feb. 27, 1923. 1,446,623 G. B. HUMEs REED CONTROLLER FOR SAXOPHONES OR THE LIKE Filed Mar. ll, 1922 Patented F eb. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES GUY B. HUMES, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

REED CONTROLLER FOR SAXOPHONIES 0R THE LIKE.

Application filed March 11, 1922. Serial No. 542,930.

To alt 107mm 'it magl/ concern Be it known that I, GUY B. HUMEs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reed Controllers for Saxophones or the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to reed controllers for saxophones or similar instruments, and has for its object the provision of such a device adapted to adjustably vary the vibratory length of the reed and also to adjustably vary the clearance of said reed with respectto the mouth piece of the instrument.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the invention showing same in operative position on the mouth piece of a wind musical instrument;\ also showing a protectivel cap used in connection with the mouth piece;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the invention on line 2 2 of Fig. 3, show ing the device in one adjusted position in full lines; and in another adjusted position in dotted lines; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the invention, showing' same in position on the mouth piece of a wind musical instrument.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents the mouth piece of a saxophone or other similar wind musical instrument; and 2 designates a vibratory tongue of suitable material, such as a reed. positioned on the mouth piece 1 in the ordinary manner. To

hold the tongue in position on the mouth piece I `employ a cla-mp 3 which may be of any suitable type. preferably such as is orr dinarily employed, said clamp being held in position by .means of suitable thumb screws i threaded into ears 5 on opposite ends of the clamp 3.

Preferably mounted on one end of the clamp 3, or formed integrally therewith, is a guide member 6, preferably of resilient material, having its forward end inwardly curved as shown, and having its rear end extending beneath a yoke 7 mounted 4on the opposite end of the clamp 3, such yoke being adapted to restrain outward movement of the end of the guide member, but permit inward movement thereof. A set sciew 8 is tapped into the bi-ght of the-yoke 7 as shown, and 1s adapted to bear on the rearward end of the guide member 6 to regulate the movements thereof in the yoke. i

The guide member 6 is preferably provided with a longitudinally dis osed slot 9, preferably intermediate its en s, in which is slidably mounted a set screw l0, the inner end of which carries thereon the forward end of a resilient contact finger 1,1. The finger 11 extends rearwardly through the yoke 7, as shown, and has its rearmost end preferably inwardly, and then outwardly curved as shown at 12, said curved end being adapted to rest at different positions on the tongue 2 by sliding the set screw 10 secured to the rear end ofvsaid finger in the slot 9. l

By this arrangement in order to adjust the tongue to the pitch desired, the finger 11 may be adjusted by loosening the set screws 8 and 10, and moving the finger along the tongue 2 until the end of the finger is adapted to engage the desired point along the length of the tongue and then tightening the set screw 10. The pressure of the finger upon the tongue can be regulated by adjustment of screw 8, and this adjustment may be made regardless of the adjusted position of the finger 11.

A protective cap 13 fits over the mouth piece in the ordinary manner and may be provided with slots 14 and 15 which permit such cap tobe placed onto the mouth piece without interfering with the adjustment of the clamp and the tonguel adjusting device mounted thereon.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification wit-hout departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of the construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of a wind instrument mouth piece having a vibratory tongue thereon; engaging means mounted adjacent ysaid. tongue and being longitudinally adjustable with respect thereto; and means for normally i urging said engaging lmeans out of Contact with said tongue.

2. The combination of a wind instrument mouth piece having a vibratory tongue thereon; engaging means mounted adj acent said vtongue and being longitudinally adjustable with respect thereto; means for normally urging said engaging means out of contact with said tongue; and means for.

limiting the outwardy movement of said engaging means. f.

3. he combination with a wind instrument mouth piece having a vibratory tongue mounted thereon; supporting means mounted adjacent said tongue and normally urged away from the same; and means adapted to' yadapted to adjustably engage said tongue at different points along its length to vary the vibratory portion thereof; and independent means for adjustably varyingl the pressure at any point of said slidably mounted means on said tongue.

6. The combination of a wind instrument mouth piece having a vibratory tongue mounted thereon.; a resilient guide member mounted adjacent said tongue having a slot therein; and a contact finger slidably mounted in said slot and adapted to adjustablyen` gage said tongue.

7. The combination of a wind instrument mouth iece having a vibrato tongue mounte thereon; a resilient guide member mounted adjacent saidj -tongue having a slot therein; a contact linger slidably mounted in said slot and adapted to adjustably engage said tongue; and means' for adjustably varying the pressure of said contact finger on said tongue.'

' mounte incense 8. 'llhe combination of a wind instrument mouth ieee having a vibratory tongue dp thereon; a resilient guide member mounted adjacent said tongue; a contact finger slidably mounted on said resilient guide member Vand adapted to adjustably engage said tongue; a yoke straddling saidguide member and said contact finger; and a set screw tapped through said yoke and adapted to adjustably engage said guide member to vary the pressure of said contact linger on said tongue.

9. The combination of a wind instrument -mouth piece having a vibra-tory tongue disposed thereon; la resilient guide member l havin a slot intermediate its ends; a contact nger havin one end disposed adjacent said slot an the other end adapted to rest on said tongue; a set screw projecting through saidslot and engaging and adjustably retaining the adjacent endof said contact finger; a yoke straddling said resilient guide member and said contact finger to hold same in position; and a set screw tapped through said yoke and adapted to adjustably engage said guide member to vary the pressure of said finger on said tongue.

10. rllhe combination of a wind instrument mouth piece having a vibratory tongue disposed thereon; a clamp for holding said tongue in position; a resilient guide member mounted on said clamp and having a slot intermediate its ends; a contact :linger having one end disposed adjacent said slot and the other end adapted to rest on said tongue; a set screw projecting through said slot and engaging and adjustably retaining the adjacent end of said contact linger; a yoke mounted on said clamp and straddling said resilient guide member and said contact finger to hold same in position; and a set screw tapped through said yoke and adapted |to adjustably engage said guide member to vary the pressure of said finger on said.l tongue.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

.GUY B. HUMES.

Witnesses:

FREDA C. APPLETON, JOSHUA R. H. Porre. 

